I use my warming drawer daily, and think you will like it! It's great for keeping prepared foods warm until dinner is ready, warming dinner plates (a nice luxury!), raising yeast doughs like bread and pizza crust, etc.

While the smaller oven in the 48" range can serve somewhat like a warming drawer, the oven typically does not have the same temperature range, and could be too hot for some purposes. Plus, it does not hold the quantity of foods and plates like a warming drawer with a rack. So they aren't perfect substitutes.

On the other hand, having a second oven is a wonderful thing in and of itself. It's great for big meals (Thanksgiving, etc.). But I find that I use the smaller oven much more than the big one. It heats up faster, and does not heat up my kitchen as much as the bigger oven.

So I guess it's a question of lifestyle and which features will be most useful to you.

There are also plenty of ranges that have two ovens, such that the smaller oven could be used as a warming drawer. The jump from 36" to 48" can really involve more than storage space -- you have serious air handling issues that come into play. I'd avoid it if you can.

Get a 36" with a double oven. The ovens have a warming drawer feature. I love mine and can't imagine how I lived with only one oven. (The upper oven also has a toaster feature. So useful when you run a Bed & Breakfast!

Thanks, everyone. (sorry, didn't get any alerts on responses) I think we'll stick with the 36" dual fuel + warming drawer. We also have a nice breville toaster oven that I suspect we could use as 2nd oven in a pinch. The 48" looks really nice, but seems like overkill.

Good choice. Once you have a warming drawer you will wonder how you ever lived without one.